(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Colorado Springs Labor Day Liftoff will be without one of its co-producers this year, after hot air balloon enthusiast and CEO of the Rainbow Ryders, Scott Appelman, has passed away.
A press release from the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation announced the passing of Appelman, and said his loss “has left a profound void in our community, as we remember a man whose passion and dedication to the art of hot air ballooning brought joy and inspiration to countless lives.”
Appelman founded the Rainbow Ryders, a hot air balloon ride company, in 1983, and the company grew from a startup to a respected leader in the hot air balloon industry.
“[Scott Appelman] was not just the driving force behind Rainbow Ryders’ success but also a cherished mentor, colleague, and friend to many,” the Sports Corporation said.
Courtesy: Mayor Yemi Mobolade
Mayor of Colorado Springs, Yemi Mobolade, expressed his condolences in a statement and mourned the loss of such an impactful force within the Colorado Springs community.
“Today, Colorado Springs lost one of the great explorers and pioneers of our modern age. I am deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of Scott Appelman, the founder and CEO of Rainbow Ryders and the co-producer for the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off for the last 9 years,” said Mayor Mobolade. “Scott was a giant in the ballooning world, having operated his business for more than 40 years in the greatest ballooning cities in the world, including Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Colorado Springs. His commitment to ballooning was so much more than a hobby or a business – it was a passion and a way of life, and more importantly – a way to give life to so many people.”
Mayor Mobolade went on to mark the deep impact Appelman’s drive and passion has had on the City of Colorado Springs, and on its people, both young and old.
“From young children looking in awe as a balloon launches into the sky, to marriage proposals at thousands of feet in the air, to seniors checking a bucket list experience in their last years, Scott was to the very end a champion of wonder, of play, and of the human spirit that will always smile at the sight of a colorful hot air balloon rising into the blue sky,” Mobolade said. “My heart and my prayers are with Scott’s wife, family, his many friends, his team of pilots and staff, and the entire hot air ballooning community, and I know the entire city of Colorado Springs grieves with me at the immense loss to our city.”
